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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26204314">I get to love you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_a_b_i_n_e/pseuds/s_a_b_i_n_e'>s_a_b_i_n_e</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Malec Oneshots (smut-free) [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Ruelle - Fandom, Shadowhunters (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Immortal Alec Lightwood - implied, Inspired by Music, M/M, Malec, Song Lyrics, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, just a tiny bit of Angst, lyricfic</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:48:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,729</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26204314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/s_a_b_i_n_e/pseuds/s_a_b_i_n_e</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The soulmate AU where lyric lines are soulmarks.</p><p>Based on "I get to love you" by Ruelle</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Malec Oneshots (smut-free) [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1854829</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>186</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I get to love you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He waited 436 years. Four hundred thirty-six years his left forearm was empty. No black lines adorned his golden skin. No words indicated that another soul was waiting for him to fulfil their sanctified bond. Even though warlocks were known to have soulmates he thought that he may be cursed. Maybe it was his bloodline. Maybe the children of greater demons weren't blessed by the heavens and were damned to never feel the fulfilment a soulbond brings. </p><p>There had been times when he had hoped to find someone who stayed. He was with people who had lost their soulmate much too early. People who were as lonely as himself. But it had never worked out. He couldn't mend their broken hearts and they grew to scorn him. It had nothing to do with him. Their souls rejected him as his wasn't the right to match theirs. It still hurt and it left scars on his soul.</p>
<hr/><p>He worried for 10 years. Ten years he feared his left forearm to be filled. Feared that black lines would adorn his ivory skin. Feared words would indicate that another soul was waiting for him to fulfil their sanctified bond. Because he knew that this soul would live in a male body. And he couldn't be with a man, no matter if blessed by the heavens or not. There was no room for people like him in the shadowhunter society. His parents would abandon him, he may even be deruned.</p><p>He prayed to the angels to spare him and a potential soulmate. He wouldn't be able to be with him and knowing that he existed would hurt and it would leave scars on his soul.</p>
<hr/><p>He was sitting in front of his vanity removing his make-up when it happened. He felt a warm sensation on his left forearm like warmed oil running over his skin. Lines were spreading over his arm, glittering gold as heavenly magic painted the words on him. The words that would end the song that he would hear when he met his soulmate.</p><p>He guessed that this was the last line because the older soulmate wore these words. The younger one would find the first line written on their arm. The song was meant to bind them together. Many couples played them at their wedding ceremony unless it was something unseemly of course which happened often to those meeting their soulmate in a club or the like.</p><p>He was a bit concerned about that possibility as he was the owner of a club and he liked to dance and mingle. But he did not really care. He would have worn the most obscene words on his skin with pride. He had a soulmate and they would receive their soulmark right this moment, too. Excitement overruled concern and he waited for the moment the golden lines would turn into black and settle into his skin.</p><p>He couldn't wait to find out the words, find out which song they ended, what the heavens had planned for him. He stared at his arm still glowing and throbbing. He felt giddy and a giggle left his mouth. 436 years and he felt like a teenager again.</p><p>After a while the gold turned to blue and then - finally - to black. He studied the handwriting of his soulmate. It was angular and precise like made with a letterpress. But it didn't take anything away from the intensity of the words those letter formed. <i>I get to love you</i>.</p><p>A single tear ran down his cheek. Not only would he meet his soulmate. Their song seemed to be a romantic one. He had to find out what the lyrics said as they would set the tone of their relationship. </p>
<hr/><p>He came out of the shower when it happened. He felt a warm sensation on his left forearm like warmed oil running over his skin. He saw golden lines brushing themselves on his skin and he sank down to the floor. He bumped his head to the wall. <i>No, no, no, no, no! This couldn't be true.</i> Most people met their soulmates around the age of 20 but he still had hoped that this cup had passed from him. He had been mistaken. </p><p>He didn't want to see the words.<br/>
He didn't want to hear the song.<br/>
He didn't want to have a soulmate.</p><p>He was a shadowhunter. Shadowhunters weren't gay. He knew that for a fact. They were of angelic descent and he had learnt at the academy that only those bonds that could bring children into the world were truly blessed. He just knew this to be the truth. The clave wouldn't lie to them.</p><p>A cold shower of realisation hit him. What if his soulmate was a woman? <i>Oh, that was even worse.</i> He would never be truly happy with her even if they were meant to be together. Even if she were his best friend he could never give her the love and passion she deserved. And if his soulmate would be a man he couldn't either.</p><p>He could feel the moment when the words had settled into his skin. Instead of pleasant anticipation he only felt dread. It turned his stomach. His throat tightened and it was hard to breathe. He had to break someone's heart or had to live an unhappy life. His fate was sealed.</p><p>Still, he couldn't help himself. Without him wanting to his eyes wandered to his arm. The lettering in itself was beautiful. It looked ancient like some of the books in the Institute's library. His mate - maybe they were an artist. His heart fluttered at the thought but he pushed the feelings aside. </p><p>There was no reason to dwell on this. He knew that the heavens chose the songs wisely. Those who would lead romantic lives with their soulmate would find it in the lyrics. But so would those whose relationships would be troubled. Not everyone was so lucky to live their happily ever after,  no matter how good they fit. Some would find partnerships based on sex, some on love. There were rumours that some bonds were based on friendship alone but he had never met someone like that.</p><p>Still, maybe he was lucky and the lyrics would show the last option. Maybe he wasn't lost after all? He didn't know. The words on his arm were open to every interpretation. <i>One look at you; my whole life falls in line.</i> He wouldn't search the rest of the lyrics. He couldn't. </p>
<hr/><p>
  <i>One look at you; my whole life falls in line<br/>
I prayed for you; before I called you mine<br/>
Oh I, can't believe it's true, sometimes<br/>
Oh I, can't believe it's true</i>
</p><p>His heart was racing when he was listening to the song. The first verse was as if he had written it himself. He really couldn't believe it. Someone was waiting for him. A soul crafted after divine counsel, a soul meant to complement his own. He couldn't wait to meet them. </p><p>But his heart nearly gave out when he heard the chorus. <i>Forever I'm yours, forever I do.</i> His soulmate was immortal. Another warlock maybe? Or a vampire? He wouldn't have to let them go. Ever.</p>
<hr/><p>Of course, she had to google the lyrics. As soon as she saw the writing on her brother's arm she pulled back his sleeve and dragged him into her room. There she read the lyrics to him and his last hope collapsed.</p><p>
  <i>The way you love, it changes who I am<br/>
I am undone and I thank God once again
</i></p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>Those weren't words of a friend. Those were words of a lover and he knew he couldn't have him. Ever.</p>
<hr/><p>As the High Warlock of Brooklyn he was invited to the wedding of the year. The werewolf alpha of the New York pack would marry a Nephilim. Mixed marriages happened more often now but a downworld leader as the groom was a sensation. All leaders were invited. </p><p>He smiled looking at the happy couple. One day, yes one day they would come to his wedding. He couldn't wait for it to happen.</p>
<hr/><p>As the Head of the Institute it was an obligation to follow the invitation. Usually, he would have sent his sister on her own. He didn't go anywhere where romantic songs could be played. But it was the Alpha's wedding and he had just established the Downworlder Council Meeting and the personal cultivation of contacts was too important.</p><p>Under his suit nobody would see his soulmark. Even if he met <i>him</i> he could ignore it. There were so many people. The other man never needed to know that he was his other half.</p>
<hr/><p>It was late and most guests had already retired. The newlyweds had left for the honeymoon. There were only two couples left on the dancefloor. The one enjoyed their chance to dance out what they had learnt to attend balls in Alicante. The other slow-danced wallowing in memories of weddings they had celebrated in centuries past. </p><p>The song faded into the next. They heard seven piano chords. Both men recognised the following words right away. One froze in his sister's arms. The other swirled around. He could see the other couple. Her arms were white as alabaster no lines adorning them. He couldn't see the man's face but the woman looked at him with widened eyes.</p><p>He strode over the dancefloor closing the gap between him and the other man who was still facing away from him. He lay his hand on his shoulder and spoke with a brittle voice: "I get to love you." </p><p>He felt the other man breathe heavily. The woman cupped her dancing partner's face and he could hear her whisper: "They say love is a journey." His heart skipped a beat and he held his breath.</p>
<hr/><p>He saw the look in his sister's eyes. A look of love and encouragement. When he heard her say the words his lungs finally drew air again. He felt the other man's hand on his shoulder, warm and steady. Ever so slowly he turned around. He took in his beauty, his kind face, and the beautiful smile on his lips. His hand lifted of its own accord. He caressed the other man's cheek and the words fell from his lips: "One look at you; my whole life falls in line."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading. Let me know what you think.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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